Vivekachudamani – End Superimposition – The Means – Verses 277-292   «   »

Vivekachudamani – End Superimposition – The Means – Verses 277-292   «   »

स्वात्मन्येव सदा स्थित्वा मनो नश्यति योगिनः ।
वासनानां क्षयश्चातः स्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २७७ ॥
svātmanyeva sadā sthitvā mano naśyati yoginaḥ |
vāsanānāṃ kṣayaścātaḥ svādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 277 ||
277. The Yogi’s mind dies, being constantly fixed on his own Self. Thence follows the cessation of desires. Therefore do away with thy superimposition.

तमो द्वाभ्यां रजः सत्त्वात्सत्त्वं शुद्धेन नश्यति ।
तस्मात्सत्त्वमवष्टभ्य स्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २७८ ॥
tamo dvābhyāṃ rajaḥ sattvātsattvaṃ śuddhena naśyati |
tasmātsattvamavaṣṭabhya svādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 278 ||
278. Tamas is destroyed by both Sattva and Rajas, Rajas by Sattva, and Sattva dies when purified. Therefore do way with thy superimposition through the help of Sattva.

प्रारब्धं पुष्यति वपुरिति निश्चित्य निश्चलः ।
धैर्यमालम्ब्य यत्नेन स्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २७९ ॥
prārabdhaṃ puṣyati vapuriti niścitya niścalaḥ |
dhairyamālambya yatnena svādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 279 ||
279. Knowing for certain that the Prārabdha work will maintain this body, remain quiet and do away with thy superimposition carefully and with patience.
Notes: Prârabdha—the resultant of past Karma that has led to the present birth. When this is worked out, the body falls, and Videhamukti is the result.

नाहं जीवः परं ब्रह्मेत्यतद्व्यावृत्तिपूर्वकम् ।
वासनावेगतः प्राप्तस्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २८0 ॥
nāhaṃ jīvaḥ paraṃ brahmetyatadvyāvṛttipūrvakam |
vāsanāvegataḥ prāptasvādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 280 ||
280. ‘I am not the individual soul, but the Supreme Brahman’ – eliminating thus all that is not-Self, do away with thy superimposition, which has come through the momentum of (past) impressions.

श्रुत्या युक्त्या स्वानुभूत्या ज्ञात्वा सार्वात्म्यमात्मनः ।
क्वचिदाभासतः प्राप्तस्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २८१ ॥
śrutyā yuktyā svānubhūtyā jñātvā sārvātmyamātmanaḥ |
kvacidābhāsataḥ prāptasvādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 281 ||
281. Realising thyself as the Self of all by means of Scripture, reasoning and by thy own realisation, do away thy superimposition, even when a trace of it seems to appear.

अनादानविसर्गाभ्यामीषन्नास्ति क्रिया मुनेः ।
तदेकनिष्ठया नित्यं स्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २८२ ॥
anādānavisargābhyāmīṣannāsti kriyā muneḥ |
tadekaniṣṭhayā nityaṃ svādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 282 ||
282. The sage has no connection with action, since he has no idea of accepting or giving up. Therefore, through constant engrossment on the Brahman, do away with thy superimposition.

तत्त्वमस्यादिवाक्योत्थब्रह्मात्मैकत्वबोधतः ।
ब्रह्मण्यात्मत्वदार्ढ्याय स्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २८३ ॥
tattvamasyādivākyotthabrahmātmaikatvabodhataḥ |
brahmaṇyātmatvadārḍhyāya svādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 283 ||
283. Through the realisation of the identity of Brahman and the soul, resulting from such great dicta as ‘Thou art That’, do away with thy superimposition, with a view to strengthening thy identification with Brahman.

अहंभावस्य देहेऽस्मिन्निःशेषविलयावधि ।
सावधानेन युक्तात्मा स्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २८४ ॥
ahaṃbhāvasya dehe’sminniḥśeṣavilayāvadhi |
sāvadhānena yuktātmā svādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 284 ||
284. Until the identification with this body is completely rooted out, do away with thy superimposition with watchfulness and a concentrated mind.

प्रतीतिर्जीवजगतोः स्वप्नवद्भाति यावता ।
तावन्निरन्तरं विद्वन्स्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २८५ ॥
pratītirjīvajagatoḥ svapnavadbhāti yāvatā |
tāvannirantaraṃ vidvansvādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 285 ||
285. So long as even a dream-like perception of the universe and souls persists, do away with thy superimposition, O learned man, without the least break.

निद्राया लोकवार्तायाः शब्दादेरपि विस्मृतेः ।
क्वचिन्नावसरं दत्त्वा चिन्तयात्मानमात्मनि ॥ २८६ ॥
nidrāyā lokavārtāyāḥ śabdāderapi vismṛteḥ |
kvacinnāvasaraṃ dattvā cintayātmānamātmani || 286 ||
286. Without giving the slightest chance to oblivion on account of sleep, concern in secular matters or the sense-objects, reflect on the Self in thy mind.

मातापित्रोर्मलोद्भूतं मलमांसमायां वपुः ।
त्यक्त्वा चाण्डालवद्दूरं ब्रह्मीभूय कृती भव ॥ २८७ ॥
mātāpitrormalodbhūtaṃ malamāṃsaMāyāṃ vapuḥ |
tyaktvā cāṇḍālavaddūraṃ brahmībhūya kṛtī bhava || 287 ||
287. Shunning from a safe distance the body which has come from impurities of the parents and itself consists of flesh and impurities – as one does an outcast – be thou Brahman and realise the consummation of thy life.
Notes: Shunning—i. e. giving up all identification of the body which is very impure.

घटाकाशं महाकाश इवात्मानं परात्मनि ।
विलाप्याखण्डभावेन तूष्णी भव सदा मुने ॥ २८८ ॥
ghaṭākāśaṃ mahākāśa ivātmānaṃ parātmani |
vilāpyākhaṇḍabhāvena tūṣṇī bhava sadā mune || 288 ||
288. Merging the finite soul in the Supreme Self, like the space enclosed by a jar in the infinite space, by means of meditation on their identity, always keep quiet, O sage.

स्वप्रकाशमधिष्ठानं स्वयंभूय सदात्मना ।
ब्रह्माण्डमपि पिण्डाण्डं त्यज्यतां मलभाण्डवत् ॥ २८९ ॥
svaprakāśamadhiṣṭhānaṃ svayaṃbhūya sadātmanā |
brahmāṇḍamapi piṇḍāṇḍaṃ tyajyatāṃ malabhāṇḍavat || 289 ||
289. Becoming thyself the self-effulgent Brahman, the substratum of all phenomena –  as that Reality give up both the macrocosm and the microcosm, like two filthy receptacles.
Notes: Givu up……microcosm—ceasing to care for the whole universe, which is other than the Self, and which pales into insignificance before the majesty of the Self.

चिदात्मनि सदानन्दे देहारूढामहंधियम् ।
निवेश्य लिङ्गमुत्सृज्य केवलो भव सर्वदा ॥ २९0 ॥
cidātmani sadānande dehārūḍhāmahaṃdhiyam |
niveśya liṅgamutsṛjya kevalo bhava sarvadā || 290 ||
290. Transferring the identification now rooted in the body to the Ātman, the Existence- Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, and discarding the subtle body, be thou ever alone, independent.
Notes: Discarding—ceasing to identify oneself with.

यत्रैष जगदाभासो दर्पणान्तः पुरं यथा ।
तद्ब्रह्माहमिति ज्ञात्वा कृतकृत्यो भविष्यसि ॥ २९१ ॥
yatraiṣa jagadābhāso darpaṇāntaḥ puraṃ yathā |
tadbrahmāhamiti jñātvā kṛtakṛtyo bhaviṣyasi || 291 ||
291. That in which there is this reflection of the universe, as of a city in a mirror – that Brahman art thou; knowing this thou wilt attain the consummation of thy life.

यत्सत्यभूतं निजरूपमाद्यं
चिदद्वयानन्दमरूपमक्रियम् ।
तदेत्य मिथ्यावपुरुत्सृजेत
शैलूषवद्वेषमुपात्तमात्मनः ॥ २९२ ॥
yatsatyabhūtaṃ nijarūpamādyaṃ
cidadvayānandamarūpamakriyam |
tadetya mithyāvapurutsṛjeta
śailūṣavadveṣamupāttamātmanaḥ || 292 ||
292. That which is real and one’s own primeval Essence, that Knowledge and Bliss Absolute, the One without a second, which is beyond form and activity – attaining That one should cease to identify oneself with one’s false bodies, like an actor giving up his assumed mask.
Notes: False bodies—the gross, subtle and causal bodies, which are superimpositions upon the Atman.

Like an actor etc.—When the actor has played his part, he is simply a man. So the man of realisation is one with Brahman, his real Essence.


Vivekachudamani – Introduction
1: Devoted Dedication
2: Glory of Spiritual Life
3: Unique Graces in Life
4-7: Miseries of The Unspiritual Man
8-13: Means of Wisdom
14-17: The Fit Student
18-30: The Four Qualifications
31: Bhakti – Firm and Deep
32-40: Courtesy of Approach and Questioning
41-47: Loving Advice of the Guru
48-49: Questions of the Disciple
50: Intelligent Disciple – Appreciated
51-55: Glory of Self-Effort
56-61: Knowledge of the Self-Its Beauty
62-66: Direct Experience – Liberation
67-71: Discussion on Questions Raised
72-75: Gross Body
76-82: Sense Objects a Trap – Man Bound
83-86: Fascination for Body Criticised
87-91: Gross Body Condemned
92: Organs of Perception and Action
93-94: Inner Instruments
95: The Five Pranas
96-101: Subtle Body – Effects
102: Functions of Prāna
103-105: Ego Discussed
106-107: Infinite Love – the Self
108-110: Māyā – Pointed Out
111-112: Rajoguņa – Nature and Effects
113-116: Tamoguņa – Nature and Effects
117-119: Sattvaguņa – Nature and Effects
120-121: The Causal Body – Its Nature
122-123: Not-Self – Description
124-135: The Self – Its Nature
136: Advice for Self-control
137-142: What is Bondage – The Reply
143-144: The Powers – Agitation and Veiling
145-146: Bondage in Action
147-153: Ātman and Anātman – Discrimination
Negation of the Kośas
154-164: – Annamaya kośa (Food sheath)
165-166: – Prņamaya kośa (Vital air sheath)
167-183: – Manomaya kosa (Mental sheath)
184-188: – Vijnanamaya kośa (Intellectual sheath)
189-191: Ātman – Unattached
192-193: What is Liberation? – Disciple
194-206: Self-Knowledge gives Liberation
207-210: Anandamaya kośa (Bliss sheath)
211: Ātman – Other than the Five Kośas
212: What is Ātman? – Disciple
213-225: Nature of the Self – Discussion
226-236: All Manifestation Absolute
237-240: Brahman – Its Nature
241-249: That Thou Art – Explanation
250-253: Attitude in Meditation
254-266: Aids to Meditation
267-276: Give up Vāsanās – the Method
277-292: End Superimposition – The Means
293-297: The Perceived I’ Factor – False
298-309: Condemnation of the Ego
310-319: Actions, Thoughts and Vāsanās – Renounce
320-329: Total Vigilance – Its Price
330-338: In the One, No Plurality
339-348: Spiritual Growth – the Secret
349-353: Cause-Effect – False
354-372: Samadhi – Its Nature
373-378: Fully Detached – Samadhi Easy
379-383: Meditation – the Technique
384-397: Continuous Attention to Self
398-406: No Diversity in Reality
407-413: Ātma-vicāra – Contemplation
414-418: Give up Perceptions
419-425: The Science of Reality – Its Benefits
426-445: Signs of a Realised Seer
446-464: Prārabdha for a Saint
465-471: There is No Plurality
472-479: Experience of Selfhood
480-520: Practice of Knowledge – Disciple
521-575: Final Words of Advice
576-578: Blessed Disciple Liberated
579-581: The Glory of the Textbook

Sri Adi Sankaracharya

Vivekachudamani – Verses 277-292 – Vivekachudamani Verses 277-292 – By Adi Sankaracharya – In Sanskrit with English Meaning, Transliteration, Translation, Commenary, Lyrics, Audio – Vivekachudamani-277-292